Whether listening to an MP3 player while traveling, or to a hi-fi stereo system at home, consumers are increasingly choosing the in-ear ear earphone for their listening pleasure. This electro-acoustic transducer device has a relatively low profile that provides convenience for the wearer, while also providing good sound quality. An in-the-canal earphone, also referred to as an ear bud, has an acoustic output tube whose end portion is designed to be partially inserted into an ear canal so as to create an airtight cavity therein. This provides the wearer with good acoustic isolation against external sounds. The tube is a rigid member that may even be fitted with a custom molded flexible tip or cap at its open end portion, to provide a better fit to the ears of the discriminating audiophile. Some in-ear earphones feature a permanent bend in the tube or have a custom shaped tube, which may allow it to be inserted easier into and create a better airtight seal, against the rather peculiar-shaped surface of the human ear canal.